Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has long been considered...

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott has long been considered a Classic piece of American literature, even since its publication in 1868. Many critics, including the author of one of the novel’s introductions, remark that this is due to, mainly, the casual reader’s ability to relate to the March sisters, the subtle rebelliousness against Victorian anti-feminist ideals, and the novel’s dismissal of old archetypes for its female characters. Although the relatability of characters does not qualify a novel as being ‘of literary merit,’ it is notable when the novel is more than one hundred and fifty years old, and the characters were created with a completely different ‘set’ of moral and social ideals in place. For example, it is more†¦show more content†¦The success Alcott saw as a result of the publication of Little Women was due in part to its radical portrayal of the ability of young, unmarried women to have success independent o f their families. This idea is especially seen in Jo’s character, who, like Alcott herself, decides to pursue a career in writing, and eventually teaching. Amy, as well, displays some of this independence, although the reputation she develops later in the book is a direct result of Aunt March’s decision to take Amy on her tour of Europe, where she establishes herself in fashionable society, despite her low status. Meg has less of this independent streak. Being the first daughter to get married and start a family, Meg represents the typical housewifely nature of most women of lower status in this era, and as a result is the daughter most similar to Marmee, whom she is named after (Marmee’s name is also Margaret). Beth is, by a wide margin, the least independent of the four sisters, living her entire (however short) life dependent on her parents. Beth’s character, in her relationship with neighbor Mr. Lawrence, represents the typical, but fading, portr ayal of young women in the literature of her era: a quiet, sweet-natured, submissive woman yielding to the influence (however kindly meant) of an old male patriarch. With her death, Alcott acknowledges the incoming of a new era of female characters with strongerShow MoreRelatedCharles Dickens Little Women3767 Words   |  16 Pagesduring the time found this troubling. One such person was Louisa May Alcott. Growing up, she was a tomboy with a short temper and unconventional attitudes toward society. The lifestyle of her family greatly enhanced that different and non-conformist personality that she possessed. Her personality can be seen within the revolutionary character of Josephine â€Å"Jo† March in her classic novel, Little Women. Background ​Alcott’s father, Amos Bronson Alcott, was an itinerant philosopher. He taught his daughtersRead MoreA Feminist Study of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women5846 Words   |  24 PagesA FEMINIST STUDY OF LOUSIA MAY ALCOTT’S LITTLE WOMEN CONTENTS Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Little Women and the Feminist Imagination 3 Chapter 2 Jo March: A Woman Ahead of her Times 10 Conclusion 17 Bibliography 19 Introduction If the first woman God ever made was strongRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 Pagesencyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search In literary criticism, a Bildungsroman (German pronunciation: [ˈbÉ ªldÊŠÅ‹s.Ê oËÅ'maË n]; German: novel of formation, education, culture),[a] novel of formation, novel of education,[2] or coming-of-age story (though it may also be known as a subset of the coming-of-age story) is a literary genre that focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood (coming of age),[3] in which character change is extremely important.[4][5] Contents